celestial sphere vs welkin

celestial sphere

noun
  • An abstract sphere of infinite radius which serves as the imaginary backdrop for celestial objects, and of which the visible sky is one hemisphere. 

name
  • the figure of the universe as an imaginary sphere whose center is the Earth 

welkin

noun
  • The sky which appears to an observer on the Earth as a dome in which celestial bodies are visible; the firmament. 

  • The upper atmosphere occupied by clouds, flying birds, etc. 

  • The place above the Earth where God or other deities live; heaven. 

How often have the words celestial sphere and welkin occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )